restore

verb

ri-ˈstȯr How to pronounce restore (audio)
Definition of restorenext
1
as in to revive
to bring back to a former condition or vigor restore an old car

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to return
to bring, send, or put back to a former or proper place restored the trophy to its proper place at the center of the shelf

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb restore differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of restore are refresh, rejuvenate, renew, and renovate. While all these words mean "to make like new," restore implies a return to an original state after depletion or loss.

restored a fine piece of furniture

When would refresh be a good substitute for restore?

The words refresh and restore are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, refresh implies the supplying of something necessary to restore lost strength, animation, or power.

a refreshing drink

When is rejuvenate a more appropriate choice than restore?

While the synonyms rejuvenate and restore are close in meaning, rejuvenate suggests the restoration of youthful vigor, powers, or appearance.

the change in jobs rejuvenated her spirits

When might renew be a better fit than restore?

The words renew and restore can be used in similar contexts, but renew implies a restoration of what had become faded or disintegrated so that it seems like new.

efforts to renew the splendor of the old castle

When is it sensible to use renovate instead of restore?

The meanings of renovate and restore largely overlap; however, renovate suggests a renewing by cleansing, repairing, or rebuilding.

the apartment has been entirely renovated

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of restore Even if lunch is not quite the anti-capitalist oasis of Corcoran’s telling, it has long been associated with the right of working people to restore themselves midway through their daily toil. —Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 21 July 2025 Automatic System Recovery CrowdStrike enhanced system safety and self-recovery by developing sensors for Windows and macOS to detect update failures, automatically enter safe mode, or activate CrowdStrike’s remediation toolkit to restore operations without manual intervention. —David Chou, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025 Even as Native peoples and their allies celebrated at the mouth of the Klamath, more work lies ahead to restore the rest of the basin. —Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 21 July 2025 Putin dreams of not only restoring the Russian empire but also becoming the master power of Europe. —Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for restore
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restore
  1. revive
  2. return
  3. replace
  4. refresh
  5. renew
  6. renovate
Verb
  • Weeks after the deal was announced, many Penn faculty members remain in limbo, unsure about which grants have been revived.
    — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 26 July 2025
  • The Brazilian famously walked to the site of Donnelly’s accident at Jerez and watched as the rescue teams fought to revive him on the track.
    — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 26 July 2025
Definition of revive
Verb
  • Those confirmed to return include Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Paul Rudd, Tom Hiddleston, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke and Simu Liu.
    — Kelsie Gibson, People.com, 26 July 2025
  • Strange New Worlds will return for a fifth and final season on Paramount+.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 26 July 2025
Definition of return
Verb
  • The roof began going green in 2010, when the Detroit-Wayne Joint Building Authority and property management company Hines started replacing crumbling portions with sedum in the name of sustainability.
    — Violet Ikonomova, Freep.com, 21 July 2025
  • Deleting passwords and replacing them with passkeys is the right answer.
    — Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
Definition of replace
Verb
  • Best For: All hair types looking to keep their scalp refreshed, without weighing down their lengths or disturbing their style.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 15 July 2025
  • Some of our favorite A-listers are inspiring us to refresh our summer sandal lineup.
    — Clint Davis, People.com, 12 July 2025
Definition of refresh
Verb
  • For his part, Steve Cates still is holding out hope his insurance company will renew his policy.
    — Peter Aldous, Miami Herald, 20 July 2025
  • At the time of this writing, Netflix has yet to renew Untamed for a second season.
    — Allison DeGrushe Published, EW.com, 19 July 2025
Definition of renew
Verb
  • Although the building was small and damp, the task of renovating a compact 484-square-foot beach house on the Spanish island of Mallorca looked to Desnudo Arquitectura like many of their other projects.
    — Marta Sader, Architectural Digest, 22 July 2025
  • Many of the carousel’s 52 original animals, including 27 horses, three chariots, a dragon and a tiger, are currently being renovated by the carousels management team and its long-time manager, Bill Brown.
    — David J. Bohnet, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2025
Definition of renovate

Browse Nearby Words

restorative
restore
restored
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Restore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restore. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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